Got a question that isn’t answered here? Send it to information@planetforward.org
Planet Forward is a whole new type of citizen conversation, flowing from web to television and back again. We're bringing together citizens and experts to talk about energy. You submit your viewpoint to the site, and the best submissions have a chance to be featured on the Planet Forward television special. After the show, the discussion moves back to the web site. You can find out more on our About Planet Forward page.
Planet Forward's first TV show premiered on April 15, 2009 on PBS and can be viewed online. Our web sequel, with Planet Forward's Frank Sesno and President Obama's green jobs advisor, Van Jones, premiered on May 21st and can be seen here. Please see our content submission guidelines for further details.
Can we move off fossil fuels? Should we? What's the formula for our energy future?
You might want to talk about a specific energy source and its potential. Or show or explain a new technology that holds promise. You can illustrate what’s already happening in your community or your own backyard. You can talk about attitudes or policies that will shape how we use and develop energy.
If it’s relevant to our energy future, it’s relevant to Planet Forward.
Anyone! We're looking for people who've got something interesting to say about fossil fuels. We have everyone from students to scientists to business people submit content to our site. The only limits are that you can't be age 13 or younger, and if you're under 18 you must have your parents' permission to submit a viewpoint. We also ask that all submissions come from individuals rather than from organizations.
Naturally, you also have to agree to and follow our terms of use, which are designed to make Planet Forward work for everyone. If you violate the terms of use, your content and profile may be deleted.
Almost anything. Since we're producing a television show, we like video, but written essays, photos or artwork, podcasts or even songs or poetry are fine. For full details, read our submission guidelines.
We want your opinion. But it will be more meaningful if you base it on facts, or your own experience. Make your case, but back it up with some solid evidence.
We respect the rights of copyright holders and expect you to do so as well. Don’t include in your submissions material that is protected by copyright law unless you have explicit permission from the copyright holder. This includes music, video, photographs, artwork, text and other content you might find on websites and blogs, in books, magazines, newspapers, libraries, on TV, radio, etc. In other words, get permission.
Please share your opinion with us, but your submissions should respect and not violate the rights of others or the law. Don’t use hidden cameras, or record conversations without the explicit permission of all involved.
Looking for inspiration? Check out our PBS TV special, which can be viewed online, and our web sequel, which features Van Jones, President Obama's green jobs advisor, discussing some of the best ideas submitted by citizens and experts on how to move our planet forward. The debate's continuing online on whether we should move away from fossil fuels and if so, how we should do it.
Probably not everything. We’ll have to filter out submissions that are of poor production quality, inappropriate, stray from our focus or that otherwise don’t meet our standards. Remember, we’re asking you to envision our energy future, and our goal is to start a conversation. Most submissions will make it onto the website, but only a few will be chosen for TV specials or web sequels, and because of the time constraints of those programs, we may only show portions of those pieces.
Contributions to the Planet Forward web site will be accepted on an ongoing basis, for a continuing debate on the web about fossil fuels and whether we should move away from their use.
People will see it. They’ll discuss it. They’ll critique it. All discussions will be moderated. Viewpoints and comments must be appropriate and respectful. We want a civil exchange of ideas and viewpoints, but we recognize there will be debate. In fact we encourage that.
Future shows and web discussions will be on different aspects of the energy and climate problem. We'll post the new topics on the site. If you want to be notified when the next topic is set, you can follow what's happening on Planet Forward by e-mail, RSS, Facebook or Twitter.
Sorry, no – this is public television, after all, not a commercial show. The real reward is the chance to have your viewpoint considered by influential people and become a real part of the national debate.
That's determined by the online community, Planet Forward's expert panel and Planet Forward’s editorial team. When you rate a viewpoint, you're casting a vote on which viewpoints are the best. Overall, we're looking for the most creative, most persuasive or most informative viewpoints. The Planet Forward editorial team will make the final decision.
They're on the Planet Forward web site for everyone to see and debate. Only a small number of viewpoints can be on the show, but there is no limit to what we can accommodate online. We think of Planet Forward as a web site with a TV show, not a TV show with a web site. The real discussion is going to happen online, so being on the site isn't second best by any means.
First, read our submission guidelines, then register for a Planet Forward account and create a profile. We'll walk you through the submission process from there.
No. We want to hear from lots of people and lots of perspectives. We all consume energy and we all have some idea of what the future should look like. Your contribution will be stronger if it’s based on fact or expertise – or on your informed opinion. If you are an expert, that’s good, too. Your expertise will bring an added dimension.
You can still send us a submission. Your viewpoint is every bit as welcome as everyone else’s, but we do ask that you tell us where you work if it has to do with energy or climate.
No. Don’t promote a specific product. You can talk about a technology that you think works or holds promise. You can and should discuss the merits or drawbacks. But keep it informational, not promotional.
Preferably, a minute and a half to two minutes. Some pieces can be short as a minute or so. It’s best to be very focused and to the point.
We'll contact you. That's why it's critical for you to provide a valid e-mail address and a current phone number when you submit your viewpoint. If we can't reach you to verify your submission, we can't use your viewpoint on a show.
For more details about how we protect your personal information, have a look at our privacy policy.
Yes, you can edit your profile or delete it from the site entirely at any time. However, this doesn't automatically remove any viewpoints you've submitted or comments that you've posted. See our terms of use for more details.
Once you submit a viewpoint to the site, you can't edit or delete it without our help. We strongly suggest you review it carefully before you upload it or hit the "submit" button. Planet Forward will review all viewpoints before they're posted to make sure they're in line with our terms of use.
If you want to delete your viewpoint submission, please contact Planet Forward at contributor_help@planetforward.org or call us at 212-686-6610, ext 11 or ext 62.
Planet Forward reserves the right to delete any viewpoints or other content that violates our terms of service.
No, you still own (and are fully responsible for) any content you submit. However, by making a submission you grant Planet Forward permission to use at any time and at no cost all or any portion of your content for any purpose on the web site, the television show, in promotional materials and in any other outlets related to the project. Read our terms of service and privacy policy for full legal details.
Yes to both questions. You can repurpose something you've done before for Planet Forward, so long as it meets our submission guidelines. You can also upload your viewpoint to YouTube or your blog if you want.
